Burden inducted into Boulder County Business HOF

Though his induction into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame was delayed a year due to the pandemic, Niwot resident Cotton Burden was never at a loss for words when the time arrived Sept. 16 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Boulder.

Burden accurately predicted that he would have trouble getting through his remarks without choking up, much as he did during soccer banquets during his 11-year tenure as Niwot High's head coach. He thanked his many supporters who were present. Among those Burden thanked were his son Keith Burden, a member of the state runner-up soccer team he coached in 1997, who now works with his father; and his son-in-law, Joseph Perrotto, who also works with him at Burden Incorporated. Burden lauded their business integrity and the satisfaction he receives from working with them.

Among the many family and staff members present were Burden's wife Joy, his daughter Emily Perrotto, and his grandson William. Current office manager Kathy Wertz, who has been with him for 13 years, was also present, along with Natalie Sutherland, a more recent property management staff member. Burden's former long-time office manager Janet Akers, who originally worked in Burden's law office, and her husband Richard Akers, who also worked for Burden Incorporated, also attended.

Burden moved to Boulder County in 1963, and was a gymnast until his senior year, when he joined the basketball team at Fairview High School. After a four-year stint in the U.S. Navy where he served as an aircrewman in the Viet Nam theater, Burden returned to Boulder, graduating magna cum laude from CU's Leeds School of Business. He then graduated from CU Law School and practiced real estate law for 13 years in Boulder and Gunbarrel before turning to real estate investment and development on a full-time basis with Burden Incorporated.

Burden recalled making his first real estate investment in 1980, which he described as "such a bust." But he persevered, purchasing property at 500 Coffman Street in Longmont in 1995, "which we still own," he added. "In 1998 we purchased our first Niwot property (Niwot Emporium Building), which we still own."

He went on to describe other acquisitions and projects, including the Roosevelt Place office building in 2003, which was the catalyst for the later development of Roosevelt Park Apartments. "It was the development of the Roosevelt Place office building that gave the City the confidence to provide public support for Roosevelt Park Apartments, as a catalyst project for other downtown redevelopments," Burden said.

In 2014, Burden returned to his Gunbarrel roots as Burden Incorporated acquired its first industrial site in Gunbarrel. Their offices are located in Niwot Square at 263 Second Ave. in downtown Niwot.

Burden acknowledged many mentors, including golfing buddies Tom Menk, Dennis Palmer, and Bob Searls. Searls, a Niwot resident, was also on hand with his wife Sandi for the induction ceremony.

Burden currently serves on the Niwot Future League committee, which is charged with maintaining Niwot's vitality and vibrancy. He is a former member of the Niwot High School Education Foundation, and the Burden family endowed a scholarship program in the name of the late Eli Buzas, and created the Burden Family Fund within the Longmont Community Foundation.

Burden, who becomes the first Niwot office-based inductee into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame, closed his remarks by saying, "We're all going to miss sometimes, but some of those misses will someday turn into great successes."

Editor's Note: Niwot residents Carol Riggs of Sturtz and Copeland and Todd Dutkin of Fresca Foods, Inc., were also inducted into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020. Watch for future coverage of their induction.